Safety clasp



R. GUYOT SAFETY CLASP Jan. 6, 1959 l l Filed July 1. 1955 ATTORNEYUnited Stes This invention relates to improvements in safety clasps orclips of the character set forth in Letters Patent No. 2,269,662 issuedJanuary. 13, 1942 and has as its general object the provision of a claspwhich is utilizablein gripping overlying layers of deformable sheetmaterial, such as cloth, in such fashion as to securely hold such layersagainst accidental separation without penetration of the material; aparticular object of the invention being to provide a clasp which iscapable of fastening together the folds of diapers applied to infants soas to obviate the use of pins for such purpose, thereby eliminating thehazards incident thereto.

Another object is toprovide a clasp of the type in which the portion ofthe sheet material to be fastened thereby is draped over a lug orprotuberance on a leverarm and extended through a proximate encompassingframe to thereby hold the material against disengagement from the clasp,wherein the lug and frame are so shaped as to securely 'grip thematerial'engaged thereby and in such fashion as to prevent accidentalrelative slipping of the material and clasp.

Another object is to provide a clasp of the above character which can beeasily and quickly manipulated in effecting both its application to thematerial to be engaged and its removal therefrom.

Another object is to provide a mode of construction of the clasp wherebyit may be readily and economically formed and assembled.`

Another object is to provide a clasp embodying a yoke for positioningastride' the layers of fabric and the like to be fastened together andincluding a lever-arm pivotally mounted on the yoke for swingingmovement relative thereto, in which the pivotal connection between thearm and yoke is effected by a snap-on operation thereby greatlyfacilitating the assemblage of the parts.

A further object is to provide a formationin the yoke element of theclasp whereby material of appropriate thickness to be engaged therebymay be readily inserted therein.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear the invention resides in the partsand in the combination, construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed, and as illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the clasp as seen from the front vandone side thereof: l

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the'clasp as seen from the back and one sidethereof:

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a sheet metal blank from which the yoke elementof the clasp is formed:

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the formed yoke element:

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lever-arm showing it detached:

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a slip-on plug utilized in pivotallyconnecting the lever-arm and yoke: v

Fig. 7 is a view in enlarged vertical section of the r"ice clasp showingit in its open sheet material receiving position:

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the clasp in its materialengaging position: and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail in section of a fragmentary portion of theclasp showing the manner of locking the lever-arm relative to the yokeelement in its clasping position.

Referring to the drawing more specifically A indicates generally a yokewhich is initially formed as a flat substantially rectangular blank Bconsisting preferably of thin sheet metal as shown in Fig. 3, whichblank is bent intermediate its ends to form overlying spaced apartoppositely curved front and back leg members 10 and 11 united by aspring bow 12. The front leg member 10 ,is formed adjacent the bow 12with a narrow transverse slot 14 between which and the outer end of theleg member 10 is formed a substantially rectangular aperture 15corresponding in width to the length of the slot 14 and separatedtherefrom by a narrow integral pivot bar 16, the side margins of theaperture 15 being aligned with the ends of the slot 14. The outer end ofthe aperture l15 is bordered by a rail 17 constituting the outer endportion of the leg member 10 which rail is formed on its inner endportions with marginal projections a-a spaced apart by a medial openslot b which projections constitute keepers as will later appear.

The back leg member 11 is formed with a trapezoidal opening 18 borderedby parallel inner and outer margins c and d and by side members havingupwardly and inwardly inclined margins e and f, which opening extendslongitudinally of the leg member 11 from the bow 12 to near the outerend of the leg member and extends laterally to near the side edges ofsuch leg member.

As here shown the back leg member 11 is shortened relative to the frontleg member 10 with the opening 1S in the former upwardly offset relativeto the aperture 15 in the latter.

Hingedly mounted on the pivot bar 16 and thus carried on the leg member10 is a lever arm C which is designed to swing partly through theaperture 15, it embodies an elongated handle portion 19 of substantiallyrectangular outline with its side margins slidably conforming to theside margins of the aperture 15. The upper end of the lever arm C isformed with a rearwardly extending protuberance 20 the outer end ofwhich normally projects into the opening 18 in the leg member 11 whenthe handle portion 19 is positioned in parallel relation to the legmember 10. When thus positioned the outer end of the handle portionoverlies and abuts the outer end portion or rail 17 of the leg member 10thus limiting inward swinging movement of the lever arm C on the yoke A.

A feature of the invention resides in the mode of mounting the lever armC on the pivot bar 16, which is accomplished by forming the upper end ofthe handle portion 19 with an open ended transversely extending tube 21having as lot 22 in the lower portion of the front wall thereof so as todivide the latter whereby the tube 21 may be positioned astride thepivot bar 16 by passing the bar edgewise through the slot 22.

j The bore 23 of the tube 21 is elongated in the general direction ofthe length of the handle portion 19 and is contoured to provide asemi-cylindrical space adjacent the slot 22 forming an arcuate seatspaced beneath the pivot bar 16 for the reception of a 4cylindricalslip-ony plug 24 which is mounted in place after engaging the tube 21with the pivot bar 16 by forcing it lengthwise through the tube 21, theplug 24 having a diameter slightly exceeding the width of the slot 22 sothat the wall portion of the tube 21 forming the upper margin of theslot 22 constituting an inturned resilient lip 25 must movement of thelever arm `C relative to the pivot lbar l -whereby .the lower end of thelever `arm may be moved in and out of locking engagement with thekeepers `:1 -a, the lower end of the lever arm C being formed withnotches 27 adapted to snugly receive the keepers a-a when the lever armis in its innermost position with ,its outer end portion abutting theAend yportion 17 of the leg member 10. p

The outer face Vof the lower end .portion of the leverarm is formed witha series of tine ribs `V2,8, or otherwise roughened -to afford gripping.engagement with the surface .d

of a thumb or finger impressed thereagainst in imposing a longitudinalthrust on the lever-arm when -disengaging it from the keepers a-a.

The protuberance 20 is designed to be vthrust against overlying layersof fabric or other sheet material interposed between the leg members10-11, and to `shove the portion of the fabric abutted by theprotuberance into the opening 18 in the leg member 11, the margins c, d,e and f of which opening then serve to drape the fabric over the outerend portion of the protuberance as will presently be described.

As a means for enhancing interengagement of the fabric and protuberancethe latter is formed with upwardly and inwardly. inclined oppositesidesformed with a series of stepped or offset transverse ledges gparalleling the upper edges of the protuberance and having sharp angularridges h terminating at `their outer ends in upwardly presented sharpcorners i.

The lever-arm C and the plug 24 are preferably formed of a syntheticresin or a plastic such as Lucite, poly- 'styrene and the like.

In the operation of the invention, the lever-arm C is swung outwardlyand upwardly on the yoke A as shown in Fig. 7 so as to withdraw theprotuberance 20 from between the leg members v10;--11 whereuponoverlying layers D of the material to be engaged by the clasp arepositioned within the yoke A either by advancing the leg members 10-11thereof astride the layers or by feeding the layers therebetween so asto position the layers over the opening 18 in the leg member 11 and infront of the upper end of the protuberance 20. The lever-arm C is thenswung downward so as to advance the protuberance 20 against the materialD and thrust the engaged portion of the material through the opening 18as shown in Fig. 8,

the material being confined by the margins c, d, e and f of the opening18 thereby being deformed and draped over the protuberance 20 andengaged by the ridges h and corners i so as to effect suchsccureinterconnection of the clasp and the material as to preventseparation thereof' until the lever-arm ismoved to its open position. Bylocking the lever-arm. in itsclosed position, which is effected byengagement of the keepersa-a in the notches 27 as shown in Figs. 8 and9, accidental disengagement ofthe clasp from the material is prevented.Release Yof the lever-arm is accomplished by shoving it upward to freethe notches 27 from the keepers a-a which movement is afforded byprovisionof the clearance 26 beneath the pivot bar 16 and space providedin the slot 14 above the upper end of the lever-arm, this operationbeing effected by engaging the ribs 28. with a thumb or finger andexerting an upward thrust on the lever-arm.

By forming the yoke A with the spring bow 12 the leg members 10-11 areresiliently connected together and are thereby subject to beingyieldablyspread apart under tension, whereby a particular clasp is renderedadjustable and adaptable within limits for use in clasping materials Dof various thicknesses, being contemplated however to provide the claspin various sizes according to various requirements and applicationsthereof.

An important feature of the invention is the simplicity of constructionof the parts of the clasp and in the mode of their assemblage whereby itmay be economically produced, and which is attained by. forming the yokeof sheet metal with the integral pivotbar 16 and forming the leverarm ofa plastic with the split tube 2,1 and the telescoped plug Z4 sealing thetube whereby the lever-arm is readily attached to the yoke.

Another feature is the substantial interengagement of the clip with thesheet material afforded by the acute i 5 edged and pointed ribs formedon the lug or protuberance 2t) plus its general tapered formation inconjunction with the trapezoidal opening 18 the margins of whichcooperate with the protuberance 20 and the ribs thereon in lgripping thematerial engaged ,by the clip.

While a specific embodimentA of the invention has been shown anddescribed, the invention is not Vlimited to the exact details ofconstruction set forth, and the invention embracessuch changes,modifications and equivalents of the parts and `their formation andarrangement as come within the purview .of the appended claims.

l claim.:

l. In a clasp embodying a yoke the improvement comprising front and backleg members connected by a bow forming the upper end of the clasp whenin a vertically disposed position, said front leg member having anaperture, a lever-arm pivoted on said front leg member to swing in partin and out of-sai'd aperture, a rearwardly extending protuberance on theupper end of said leverarm for engaging sheetmaterial to be clasped;said back leg member having an opening formed and arranged to receivesaid protuberance and the material engaged thereby; said back leg memberhaving side members bordering the ends of said opening the inner marginsof which are inwardly and upwardly inclined toward each other, saidprotuberance having upwardly and inwardly inclined sides spaced from butcontiguousto said inner margins formed with a series of transverselyextending ledges and ridges terminating at their outer ends in sharpcorners for gripping ilexible material extended thereover.

2. -In a clasp embodying anyoke the improvement cornprising spaced frontand back leg members connected by a bow, said front leg member `havingan integral pivot-bar and having aslot and apertureon opposite sidesthereof, and a lever-arm having an open ended tube on one end thereofhaving a side'slot adapted to laterally receive said pivot bar toposition it within said tube; said tube having margins bordering saidside slotone of which margins is inturned relative to the other and aplug insertable lengthwise into said tube into engagement with saidinturned margin to close said slot.

3. In a clasp embodying a yokethe improvement comprising front and backleg members connected by a bow, said front leg member having an integralpivot-bar and having a slot and an aperture on opposite sides of saidbar,'a lever arm having an open ended transverse tube on one end thereofhaving a side slot adapted to laterally receive said pivot-bar toposition it longitudinally within said tube; a cylindrical plug havingal diameter slightly lexceeding the width of the slot in said tube, saidplug being adapted to be impressed into said tube and seated interiorlythereof in gripping' engagement with the adjacent margins of said slot.

4. In a clasp embodying front and back leg members resiliently connectedtogether by a spring bow, the improvement comprising a pivot bar on saidfront leg member, and a lever armpivotally carried on said pivot bar; asingle protuberance on said lever arm having opposed convergent sidesconsisting of transversely extending parallel stepped ridges `having theedges thereof terminating at their ends. in acute corners; said back legmember having an opening adapted to receive said protuberance and havingside members with convergent inner margins bordering said opening withwhich said ridges co-operate to form a grip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 LehrMay 31, 1910 Hirsh Dec. 16, 1913 Grabau Feb. 1, 1916 Clews July 23, 1918Cottrell Nov. 24, 1936 Guyot Jan. 13, 1942 Jaron May 15, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS Austria 1915 Great Britain 1920

